by admin on Apr 14, 2015
Volume Grows 20 Percent in IR Department
Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, USA, installed a MIYABI Angio-CT in October 2013. Since then, the hybrid system has expanded the hospital's scope of medical services, letting them safely treat more patients.
It is impossible to talk about the American healthcare system without hearing the term 
"Obamacare." Coined by political opponents of the Obama administration, Obamacare is the nickname for the law that is intended to provide better care for patients and lower costs in the healthcare sector. While talking to Todd Kranpitz, Executive Director of Radiology at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, the topic comes up very quickly. "It is very near and dear to my heart," he explains, meaning the attempts to provide better healthcare at a lower cost.
Surprises Cost Money
He does not want to achieve this goal, as critics of the law fear, by cutting back on equipment. On the contrary, just a few months ago, Kranpitz succeeded in installing a new Siemens MIYABI suite in his department, which has replaced one of their four angiography systems. The fact that there might have been cheaper short-term solutions available does not impress Kranpitz. Instead, he lists all the advantages of this purchase. Since his department works almost exclusively with Siemens equipment, the learning curve for the staff was short and, most importantly, there were no unpleasant or expensive surprises. "In my world, surprises cost money," explains Kranpitz.
World-Class Medical Care in Iowa
The new solution was integrated into an existing angiography suite with no significant renovations, which also lowered costs. It now allows doctors to move complicated procedures from the operating room to radiology, which not only costs less than surgery, but also allows them to provide treatment on an outpatient basis. Thanks to the combination of CT and angiography modalities, this regional hospital can now perform procedures that previously required patients to travel to one of the larger medical centers such as MD Anderson or Mayo Clinic, which is approximately two and a half hours away. That saves patients money and lets them stay closer to home, which in turn attracts new patients to Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Since the MIYABI suite was installed, the number of patients has grown roughly 20 percent, from around 530 to 630 patients a month – with the same staff and no additional overtime.
But as a hospital director, Kranpitz is also well aware that even the best equipment is only as good as the people who operate it. And that is why he is especially happy to have someone like Dr. David Lacey on his team, who has 17 years of experience and a talent for working with the MIYABI suite. Lacey explains that he has always wanted his work, which ranges from drainages to treating liver cancer with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), to use the combination of angiography and computed tomography. This combined modality set-up was once the domain of large cancer centers like MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. The MIYABI suite is Dr. Lacey's preferred treatment room. "There really is no downside," he explains.
An “Extra Set of Eyes” for Interventional Radiologists
If the CT is parked up against the wall, it is in fact a standard angiography suite. But since he can now move back and forth between the two modalities, Lacey has an "extra set of eyes," which allows him to accept cases that he might otherwise have had to turn down or refer to the larger medical centers.
“The specialists there can no longer handle all these cases,” he states. “I’m happy that I can now help the patients myself and offer the same quality.” He credits the advantage that the MIYABI solution gives him for the fact that he can now compete with world-renowned experts. “I need tools that make me as good as the specialists – I can achieve the same high quality with the MIYABI system.”
Contact a Cassling sales representative to learn more about customized interventional radiology solutions. Or, read more about the Siemens MIYABI Angio-CT.
About Cassling
Cassling is an Advanced Partner with Siemens Healthineers, providing comprehensive diagnostic imaging equipment sales and service to healthcare organizations. Founded in 1984, Cassling has built a strong reputation for excellence based on our commitment to customer service and dedication to improving community healthcare. Learn more.
The statements by Siemens customers described herein are based on the results that were achieved in the customer’s unique setting. Since there is no “typical” hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption), there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same result. MIYABI Angio-CT is a customized solution and not commercially available in all countries. Due to regulatory reasons, the future availability cannot be guaranteed. Please contact your local Siemens organization for further details.
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